stoddaed



Patented May 3,1881.

N.FETERS. FHOTO-IJTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. c.

M. o. ,sToDD-ARDL Milk Setting Apparatus.

J I... e d o M o N UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

MARVIN O. STODDARD, OF POULTNEY, VERMONT.

M I LK-SETTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,861, dated May 3, 1881.

Applicationled November 26, 1880. (No model.) i

To all whom 'it mag/concern:

Beit known that I, MARVIN O. Sronnxnn, fPoultney,iu the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Settin g Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to vthe accompanyin g drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

VMy invention has relation to that class of devices intended for holding milk for the purpose of obtaining cream therefrom, and for other purposes, `and it involves certain novel and useful arrangements `or combinations of parts andpeculiarities of construction, all of which will Ibe herein lirst fully described, and then pointed out in the claims. l

Figure l is a horizontal section of a milksetting apparatusconstrncted substantially in accordance with my improvements, the section being taken upon line w x of Fig, 2. Fig. 2 is an axial section `and partial elevation of anlapparatus showing one `manner ofapplying my improvements `upon a can surrounded by a water-jacket, or by means for keeping the milk cool. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 4 a vertical section, of the milk-setting can, unaccompanied by any coolingjacket, stand, cover, 85o., the same representing 'the principles `of my invention, and clearly indicating how my improved apparatus is to be operated, and how thefseveral prominent features of the invention are to be carried out.

In all these figures like letters of ireference, Wherever they occur, indicate ,corresponding parts.

A is a milk-setting can, of any fdesired size or shape, intended for the receptionof the milk. It may,\of course, be mounted or shelved in any desired manner, and may be filled wholly or partially with the liquid, according to the circumstances ofthe case. It is also intended, if desired, to employ the improved device or apparatus in `connection with any of the usual forms of cabinets containing one, tw`o,'or more cans.

Through the bottom of the can I extend a sliding or vertically/adjustable tube, B, of sufficient diameter to afford a proper outlet for the contents of the can, and I make the tube long enough to reach clear through `the bottom from a point above the level of the cream or milk when it is at its highest point. This tube being made to slide lthrough the bottom ofthe can requires, of course, some suitable form of stuffing-box to guard against leakage. For this a convenient form is indicated in Figs. Zand 4, wherein the box a secured to the can receives the ring of packing material, which latter is iirmly compressed about the sliding tube by a jam-nut, Z), thus securing the desired perfect joint. This form of stuffing-box may be variously modified, as will be readily understood; but it indicates a form easy to be adjusted from the exterior of the can-an important feature in 'the manufacture, as well as in the manipulation, of the device.

When an outer jacket for the reception of the cooling medium is employed, as in Figs.

2 and 4, the box a upon can A projects throughthebot-tom of the jacket C, and is screw-threaded exteriorly as well as interiorly. Thepacking-rings ciand d are compressed, `one labove and one underneath the bottom of jacket C, `by `means ofa nut, e, fitting upon the box a., and the packing for the` sliding tube lis controlled `by a jam-nut, b, operablei'rom the exterior of the jacket. Thisconstruction prevents any leakage of water aboutfthelocation of the sliding tube. The upper mouth ofthe sliding tube remains `open, and `it is preferably enlarged slightly, as shown, so as to obviate any danger ot entirely Withdrawingthe tubewheu sliding it to its lowermost position.

From theconstruction and arrangement indicated it will lreadily appear that the milkcan may be changed to any desired height, the mouth of Lthe discharging-tube being first located above fthe llevel of the contentsof the can. Then, if it be required to `withdraw `the cream without disturbing the milk, the tube is pulled down from the exterior, so that its upper mouth shall extend to the lower line of cream only, and the cream will tiow away easily andsmoothly, being received in any vessel provided forit. Asmall portion `of the cream may `be thus discharged Without `disturbing the remainder. YThe milk may afterward be discharged entirely bypulling the discharging-tube down to its lowermost point.

It frequently becomes desirable to draw off a will appear that by use of the improved apparatus all the requirements as to withdrawing of all or a part of either the cream or milk may be accomplished at the will of the attendant, and at any time, without disturbing the material left in the can. Io withdraw the cream from over the top of the milk while the milk remains undisturbed is of great advantage, because of the certainty with which all the cream may be saved. Anotherimportant advantage in drawing the cream rst is that when the milk is drawn first if there is any sediment left in the bottom of the can it becomes mixed with the cream as it descends to the bottom of the can, and this seriously in` jures the product, while, if thecream is first removed from the surface,this objection is entirely obviated. A trilling admixture ot milk with the cream can do no harm 5 but if themilk is of necessity drawn olf first, as in most of the apparatus now used, some cream invariably flows away with the milk, and is consequently lost.

rIo determine the proper degree of depression to be given the discharging-tube, glass panes, as at D, may be provided in the wall of the can, so that the bottom of the cream can be readily seen, and the tube moved down a dis- -tance from the surface equal to the -depth of the cream, or the upper mouth of the tube may be easily adjusted if seen through the transparent pane. The transparent pane is, however, not a necessity, since the adjustments can be determined easily after once or twice using the apparatus. When adjusted for the outow there is no danger of too great a quantity of material being discharged, and the attendants attention may be directed elsewhere, whereas in the older means of discharging the can, wherein all the milk must first be withdrawn, the outlet must be constantly watched, so that it may be closed at the proper instant.

For convenience I may attach a stop-cock, as at E, to the sliding tube, so that, in case it be desired the flow of milk or cream may be arrested .without moving the adjustable tube, vand thedischarging may be resumed at any time from the same point by simply turning the cock. By means of the stop-cock the end of the tube can be left at a point below the cream-line when the can is iilled, and the operator thus be enabled to draw milk at any time without disturbing the cream or elevating the tube above the cream to stop the flow.

It is customary to employ cans of this class inv connection with cooling apparatus, and I -have therefore shown my improved arrangement in connection with a cooler in all essential respects substantially like that shown in the patent of F. W. Moseley, August 19, 1879,

No. 218,765, upon which cooler alone, ofcourse, I make no claim.

F is the can-top within the cooler, provided with a vertical opening, and G is the top ot' the cooler-jacket, having a dome which may be opened and closed at will. Running water is supplied through any form of inlet, as at H, and discharged through a suitable pipe, I 5 or ice-water may be allowed to stand in the cooler.

The Ventilating-openings are sufficient to allow the escape from the can of any gases which may be lighter than the air, and this escape is facilitated by the current of air rising through tube B, (being left open,) especially while the milk is yet warm. When the milk is cooled down the heavier gases will naturally seek an outlet through tube B, and thus the ventilation of the can made practically perfect under all circumstances and conditions.

For the downward ventilation of the can the upper mouth of the sliding tube should, of course, be adjusted near the upper surface of the cream or milk, and this may be easily done, whether the can be wholly or only partially lled.

The bottom ofthe can may be inclined, substantially as indicated in the aforesaid patent to Moseley, and the tube arranged at or near the lowest point, so thatacomplete withdrawal of the contents of the can may be effected. Similar results may be obtained in degree by passing the sliding tube through the wall of the can and nea-r the bottom; but it is preferred to make the tube discharge the contents of the can entirely, so as to avoid the necessity of using a second discharge. By unscrewing the stop-cock on the lower part of the tube the can and tube may be readily removed from the cooler at any time.

I am aware that a stationary Ventilatingtube has been employed to conduct the gases downwardly from over the cream, which vtube is sufficient for the ventilation ofthe can when the cream-line falls below the mouth of such tube 5 and I am also aware that adjustable outlets have been provided for the discharge of the contents of the can, none of which can operate to discharge either part or all of the cream, or part or all of the milk, as the oper ator may see fit, or in accordance with the purposes and objects of my invention, as hereinbefore set forth.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a milk-setting can, a sliding tube adjustable within the can from bottom to top, and adapted to discharge either part or all of the contents of such can, whether the same be lled or only partially illed, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a milk-setting can, of a sliding tube adjustable within the can from bottom to top and adapted to discharge either part or all ofthe contents of vsuch can, whether' IOO IIO

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 1ero have hereunto set my hand in the presence of ltwo witnesses.

MARVIN O. STODDARD.

Witnesses:

F. W. MOSELEY, UYRUs GATES. 

